A CITY MISSIONER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 6 August 1931, Page 5

A CITY MISSIONER

(To the Editor) Sir, —One marked feature of our day, seen in all our larger towns (and Nelson not a whit behind them in the matter) is the steadily increasing help and service given by the business community to all humanitarian and other social movements. Whether it is the Y.M.C.A., Toe H., or the Commercial Travellers’ Association, or other business or non-business bodies, all are very busy at many works of social help and welfare, and now to increase tlieir labours, .there are the unemployment committees throughout New Zealand —which are quite likely to have “a long innings.” in the larger towns, this social welfare work is much helped, and business men’s labours lightened, by the town having a city missioner, whose duties are many, various and arduous. I have long thought a city missioner is “overdue” in Nelson. 1 would like the idea to be thought about. It is true that a man suitable for the position is not to be found easily; he needs many qualities, of which some are (1 write from close knowledge of the activities of one city missioner), a knowledge of ‘ju-jitsu,’ a thorough business training, a knowledge of law, a capacity for ‘sizing up* people, and for winning the confidence ot the community, especially of the police. It our “silent service” (the police) were asked they probably would say such a city missioner would be invaluable to them. He would at times interpret them to the people, and the people to them! He might even inaugurate, for the benefit of the community, an “annual police service” in New Zealand, at which, before the force, the community might be reminded in the seinion of the benefits gained by thenexistence in our midst! A couutiy constable once tohl me some such thing would be a benefit to the force. Whatever a city missioner might inaugurate, if he had the confidence generally accorded to the right man, his influence would lie a marked one. Tliev give out all sorts of help! I -'iml me that once, in Dunedin, I hurried to a city missioner with the brief query “I’m a busy woman. Is it waste of time my writing letters to tile Press? So and So tells me it is. Wliat do you think?” I got an equally brief and most emphatic reply: “Mrs I*ox, go on writing them. I attend many war business meetings, and seldom one in which a business man does not get up and say. ‘I don’t know who Grace Fox is, but she says such and such about this matter.’ Go on writing them!” And with a brief “thank you” I sped away! And I hope business men will consider the question, “What about ft city missioner for Nelson, with an olfice in the town, so we can at certain hours always find him?” I am, etc., GRACE FOX. Stoke, sth August.